To be a Human
by Maleena
Summary: Before Prue, Piper, and Phoebe discovered they were the charmed ones, a mysterious man from their past arrives, bringing with him dark secrets, and uncovering a devastating truth. No magic, just humanity.
1. Chapter 1: The Envelope

Chapter 1: The Envelope

The smell of fresh morning coffee fought its way through Piper's wooden Victorian door, joined the warm summer breeze in a dance towards Piper's bed, and landed neatly inside Piper's nostrils. Piper knew right as she struggled to open her eyelids that Prue was up and ready to start her day. Ever since they were kids, Prue was always the first one up, and the last one down. Yet, Piper felt that this morning was peculiarly different than any other. She didn't even need to check her alarm clock, which read 6: 13 a.m. to know that Prue strangely woke up earlier than usual. 'Ah, what now?' Piper though to herself, as she dangled her legs down her bed's left side, and carefully searched for her slippers.

At the kitchen window stood a distracted Prue, squeezing a cup of coffee in her right hand, and her left side waist in the other. She seemed to gaze far out the window, at the newspaper boy aiming his paper at the neighbor's lawn, the two desperate housewives gossiping their way to their cars, and finally at neighbor Noah, dragging his feet up his front porch stairs after spending a long night at the hospital. Unlike her eyes, her mind was drifting away from the quiet Prescott Street inhabitants, and off to another darker place. "Hey, you startled me." Prue screamed, as she turned to face Piper. "What are you doing walking around the manor this early in the morning?"

"I don't know, you tell me." Replied Piper sarcastically as she headed to the coffee pot and poured some in a cup. "It's not even 8:00 yet, and you're already dressed up and ready to go. What's wrong now?"

Prue took her left hand out of her pocket and raised her arm in an attempt to look at her wrist watch. She was well aware of the time she left her bed, but she just wanted to check how long she had been standing at that window. "I never went to bed actually." Said Prue in a staggering tone, then turned back to look out the window.

"What do you mean you never went to bed? Phoebe and I walked you to your room last night." Piper said confused. What Piper didn't know was that Prue had sneaked out of her bed right after Piper and Phoebe slammed their bedroom doors shut. "Prue, were you up all night?"

Prue was looking to dodge that question, in an attempt to avoid bringing up the subject that was really bothering her last night. She slowly walked away from the window and headed to the living room, as Piper followed anxiously. "I just couldn't sleep Piper." Whispered Prue as she sat down on the leather sofa, and placed her cup of coffee on the table. "Look I wasn't completely honest with you and Phoebe last night. I didn't really have a headache…well I did but not because I was tired." Prue clenched her teeth, as she tried to wipe the guilty look off her face, and stop her lips from spilling out any more words.

Piper, now really worried and confused, sat next to Prue, and with a nervous hand lifted Prue's chin out of her coffee cup. "You're not gonna fit in that small cup you know. If you think you can get away with what you just said, then you're wrong. I deserve to know what's making my sister stay up all night." Explained Piper in a monotonous tone.

"Actually, both you and Phoebe deserve to know about this. Why don't you wake her up and I'll be waiting for you in the kitchen. This is serious Piper." Prue ordered as she almost jogged to the kitchen.

Phoebe's room was always the smallest and the most distinctive one in the house. The room screamed 'Phoebe'. The walls gasped for air, as they tried to fight the large boy-band posters away. The pile of psychology books covered the right side corner of the room, and the other pile, now of clothes, covered the armchair that sat next to the door. Phoebe, though ambitious and smart, was more of a free spirit. Unique clothes, strange taste in movies, and particularly outlandish taste in men. But she was the baby, and her sisters both adored her.

"Come on, get up. Prue has something important to say to us, and I'm not about to wait another minute to find out what it is." Announced Piper, while marching into Phoebe's room and opening the window curtains.

"Hey, can't this wait? I was up all night studying and I just went to bed two hours ago. I need my beauty sleep you know." Shouted Phoebe from under her bed sheets. Phoebe was always the last to wake up, but she wasn't aware of the emergency that Piper's tone was implying. If she had known the weight of the situation, she would have never ignored it and chose sleep over a family meeting.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? I told you Prue's not feeling well and she really needs to talk." Piper's temper was starting to get the better of her, and she refused to wait for Phoebe to take a decision. She invaded Phoebe's bed, and with one quick move pulled her out of bed. "Follow me to the kitchen…NOW."

Phoebe, now aware of the urgent situation that Piper has created, put on her slippers and dragged herself down the stairs. She expected to find her two sisters fighting in the kitchen over who's hogging all the coffee, or whose turn it was to take out the trash, but all she heard was the sound of Prue's feet stomping repeatedly on the kitchen floor. Phoebe took a deep breath as she passed the living room and swung the kitchen door open. "Okay, I'm here, what's the big emergency?" Whined Phoebe in annoyance.

"Pheebs, I think you better sit down." Pleaded Prue, while facing her two sisters. "Look I didn't know how to tell you this last night, but I just needed time to comprehend it myself…"

"Cut to the chase, Prue. We can't handle any opening lines right now." Piper interrupted. Piper's palms were getting sweatier as Prue's jaw moved up and down. She was never good at handling bad news when she was a teenager, and being an adult didn't change that.

"Will you just spill the beans already?" Demanded Phoebe, now very serious and worried.

"Okay, okay. Last night, I had this envelope delivered to my office." Started Prue, as she handed the envelope to Piper. It wasn't long until Phoebe's head stuck next to Piper's, squinting to read the words between the alarming lines of the letter. "What does it say, Piper?" Demanded Phoebe, as she snatched the letter from Piper's hand, and moved it closer to her eyes so she could read it carefully.

Piper's hands were still in the air, holding the now empty space that the letter once occupied. Her jaw dropped, worry wrinkles grew on her forehead, and piercing shocked eyes stared at Prue in horror. It wasn't long until Phoebe joined the scenario. "Oh my God!" Phoebe blurted out while sitting back down on her chair.

"How could this happen? I thought he was sentenced to 15 to 25 years. How can they be letting him out now?" Declared Piper in astonishment.

"Well, it's been 20 years. Maybe they let him out based on good behavior." Phoebe suggested, with mixed feelings and butterflies plaguing her stomach. As stunned and terrified as she was to read the bad news, a part of her wanted to look on the bright side.

"What good behavior? The man is a monster, Phoebe. He's a murderer and he deserves to rot in jail for the rest of his life. Being hanged or even electrocuted wouldn't even begin to cut it…" Shouted Prue, while waving her hands uncontrollably at Phoebe.

Flames were about to come out of Prue's head, as she openly expressed her hatred and loathing towards this certain inmate. Luckily, Piper interrupted her just in time. "Look, just calm down Prue. Phoebe and I both agree with you, but we have to stay calm if we're going to figure out what to do with all this." Piper's effort to calm Prue down was just as hard as her attempt to calm herself down.

"So, what are we going to do? The letter says we're his only family." Phoebe began to say as Prue's cold and horrifying look aimed at her.

"What are you suggesting exactly, Phoebe?" Piper asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"Well, the letter suggests that we…" Phoebe's face turned almost green, as she blurted out her forbidden words. Her own ears couldn't believe what her lips were saying, but somehow her sympathy got the best of her. She wanted to continue her sentence, but Prue's eyes terrified her. She'd never saw her big sister this angry since their mother died. Phoebe knew how hard it was on Prue to get over their mother's death, but something was screaming inside her head, begging her to continue her sentence. But she never did. Prue did that for her.

"…take him into our home. Is that what you wanted to say, Phoebe?" Prue hasn't felt this angry since her mother died. She felt every drop of blood that was pumped by her heart reach her forehead. "You better be dreaming, Phoebe. The day that man sets foot on our door step, will be the day you lose your big sister. That goes out to both of you." Those were the last words Prue spoke to Phoebe and Piper before pushing the chair against the fridge on her way out of the kitchen.

Silence took over the room for a while. Though Piper and Phoebe were sitting opposite each other, none of them could look the other one in the face. Piper reached for the half torn letter sitting at the far end of the table. She wanted to read it again, to make sure this was for real. "What are we going to do, Pheebs?"

"I don't know, Piper." Phoebe sighs. "All I know is that he has nowhere else to go."

Piper gave Phoebe a guilty look, and then nodded her head in disagreement. "I don't care. He can sleep on the pavement for all I care, but he's not staying with us. It's two against one, Phoebe, deal with it."

"I can understand where Prue is coming from, but what's with your cruel attitude? The man spent 20 years in prison; he paid his debt to society. Don't you think he deserves a second chance?"

Piper broke down in tears as she wove her hands at Phoebe. She then gave her a stair with swollen eyes. "He may have paid his debt to society, but he'll never even come close to gaining my forgiveness. He's the reason our family is so screwed up. He's the reason Prue woke up screaming every night when we were in middle school. He destroyed our family, Phoebe, and I'll never ever forgive him for that."

Phoebe walked over to Piper, dried the tears that were running down her cheeks, and took Piper in her arms in one comforting hug. "I know that, sweetie. I know how hard it was on all of us, especially you and Prue. But you have to understand that I've always wanted to believe that he's changed, that he's not the man he used to be. This is the closest we have to a normal family Piper, and I never wanted to give up hope that he'd actually be sorry for what he did once he got out. If we don't at least see him and talk to him then we'll never know, will we?"

Piper moved backwards, while taking the Kleenex from Phoebe's hand and drying her tears with it. She was so worried about how this situation affected her and Prue that she forgot to consider what Phoebe was going through because of this. It never occurred to her that maybe Phoebe was the biggest victim of what had happened to their family. "How can I, Phoebe? How can I look him in the eye after what he's done? He killed mom. He's a killer."

Phoebe felt a sharp pain in her heart upon listening to Piper's words. The word 'killer' has haunted her ever since she stopped wearing diapers. In her heart she knew she couldn't forgive him for what he's done to her mother, but somehow she wanted to. She wanted to believe that there's still good in people, and no matter how bad they seem to be, their good nature shall win the fight. Piper snapped her fingers in Phoebe's face as a way to get her attention. "Phoebe, are you listening to me? He's a killer…"

Phoebe suddenly noticed Piper's struggle to steal her attention away from her guilty thoughts. She finally looked up at Piper and bluntly threw her words in Piper's face while walking her miserable thoughts to the living room. "I heard you the first time. He's a killer…but he's still our father!"


	2. Chapter 2: Dad?

Chapter 2: Dad?

A cemetery is a holy place. A place that deceased loved ones may describe as their home. Brave soldiers, loving grandmothers, sick children, and many other human beings, good and bad, young and old, black and white, all rest united in a sanctuary called a cemetery. This certain cemetery held a certain mother within its warm soil, a sweet loving innocent mother of three little girls. Though Patty Halliwell's ancient lifeless body has been lurking under the brown cemetery sand, her spirit has always been circling her original home, the Halliwell manor.

Prue sat quietly next to her mother's grave. Though she's come to visit her more than a million times ever since she passed away, this time felt different. This time Prue felt guilty, and she had a pretty good idea where that feeling was coming from. How could she accept her mother's killer back in her life? How could she even think she could?

Prue's tears didn't ask for her permission before they started burning their way down her face, and along her quivering lips. She was in so much pain, and all she wanted was to talk to her mother. A mother she had missed for twenty painful years, a mother taken away from her when she was only six years old, a mother taken away from her by a cold-blooded killer, her father. Prue's thoughts were suddenly interrupted when a hand reached for her right shoulder, a hand she recognized and loved. "Mom?" Prue said nervously as she turned around.

"It's just me." Piper said as she offered her hand to Prue in an attempt to help her stand up. "I thought I'd find you here. Are you okay?"

"Not really, Piper. I mean, how can I be? How could any of us be okay with what's going on? And Phoebe's attitude is not helping either."

Piper held Prue's left arm as they walked on the wet green grass. Piper wanted to find the perfect words to say to her big sister, but this time she knew there were no right words to make Prue feel better. This was the first time that Piper had felt completely helpless and scared. Even with her big protective sister by her side, she still didn't feel safe. "You know how Phoebe is, Prue. She thinks everyone is good on the inside and that people deserve second chances. She doesn't understand it the way we do. She didn't really know mom or Victor for that matter, she never will."

"And that's a bad thing?" Prue mocks sarcastically. The best thing that ever happened to Phoebe is that she didn't know Victor that well. I think she's the luckiest one out of us."

"Prue! Don't be too hard on her. She's hurting as much as we are." Piper pulled Prue's hand and walked her to the car. "Come on, let's go home."

Prue got in the passenger's seat of her car and handed her car keys to Piper. As Piper twisted the key to start the car, Prue's cellular phone started ringing. "Aren't you going to answer that? It might be Phoebe." Piper asked while stirring the car wheel.

"I don't think I can talk to her right now. Why don't you answer?" Suggested Prue while turning her head away from Piper and staring out the window. Though Prue was in the car with Piper, she didn't really hear what she was saying. She did hear Piper's distant sound, but she couldn't make out who it was she was talking to. As Piper hung up the phone, Prue turned her head to face her, though she didn't really care about the identity of the caller. "Is Phoebe okay?" asked Prue.

"That was not Phoebe, actually. It was Andy." Piper announced as she took a U-turn and changed the way she was heading.

"What are you doing? Home's in that direction." Complained Prue, as she pointed to the car's opposite direction.

"I know. We're not going home. Andy has something to say to us."

"Did he say what he wanted to talk to us about? Piper, is Phoebe okay?"

"Phoebe's fine. We'll know when we get there." Piper's voice sounded worried. Though Prue sensed that something was wrong, she couldn't help but feel safe upon hearing Andy's name. Prue and Andy had a rough road since high school, but their love and respect for each other helped them get through whatever came their way. Whenever Prue would get depressed over her mother's death, or angry at her father's betrayal, Andy would be by her side to support her. And this time wasn't any different.

Andy walked towards Phoebe, handed her a fresh cup of coffee, and sat down next to her. After exchanging a nervous smile, Andy started to explain the prisoner release process to Phoebe. He wasn't very proud of the fact that he was marrying a soon-to-be ex-prisoner's daughter, but all he cared about was Prue. He knew what she went through because of this, and how hard she cried herself to sleep every night. His love for Prue was so strong that he was willing to risk his reputation and his job to be with her. "In short, this is all you need to know for now. Mr. Bennett will be released tomorrow morning, and you can meet his parole officer then."

Phoebe was a nervous wreck. She was about to take a decision that would change her life forever. She knew her sisters would disapprove without a doubt, and she might even lose them, but she didn't care. Having her father back in her life was worth all the risk. But Andy couldn't deny the look he saw on Phoebe's face; Behind that strong independent young woman, hid a scared helpless little girl. He was more than sure that Phoebe was banking on him to convince Prue and Piper to support her decision, and Andy had no idea how to do that. Suddenly all of Andy's thoughts went poof upon seeing Prue walk towards him angrily.

"So let me get this straight. You went behind my back and talked to my fiancé about Victor's release, even after I specifically made it clear I wanted nothing to do with Victor." Shouted Prue, as if she was ready to attack Phoebe.

Piper ran across Prue and stood between her and Phoebe. Piper was always the one to separate her two sisters whenever they would get into arguments, but she was also the one to always bring them back together. But this time was different. Prue wasn't herself at all. Andy grabbed Prue's arm and backed her away from Phoebe. This wasn't the first time Andy had experienced a battle between the Halliwell sisters, especially between Prue and Phoebe. Ever since they were little girls, they never got along, except with Piper's extra super medaling. But the anger in Prue's eyes actually scared Andy this time and he knew from the look he exchanged with Piper that it scared her as well.

"Prue, honey, why don't you take a seat and I'll explain everything to you?" Ordered Andy, as he helped Prue sit down and gave her a cup of water. "I called Phoebe and asked her to come down here. Mr. Bennett's parole officer is a friend of mine, and I offered to assist her with his case, given the fact that it's personal. I didn't think you'd be okay with talking to a complete stranger about this issue."

"What issue?" Prue replied angrily, while giving Andy a cold look. The sweet, caring, protective sister has now turned into one angry uncontrollable monster. Phoebe couldn't believe that her big sister was about to hit her, in fact she didn't want to believe it. Phoebe pleaded Andy with her eyes to save her from this doomed situation, and convince Prue to accept their father in her life. But Andy knew that this time he was just as powerless as the rest of them were against Prue's unexpected wrath.

"You know what issue we're talking about Prue, or else you wouldn't have gotten all worked up about it." Said Andy. He walked towards Prue, held her hand in his, and put his other hand on her cheek. "Honey, I know that this is a lot for you to take in, especially now that we finally started planning our wedding, but we're going to deal with it together. We're going to get through this together, I promise."

Prue pulled her hand away from Andy's, got off the chair, and walked towards the exit. "If you're going to take their side on this one, then I guess I'm on my own now." The hatred and despair she had for her father were buried inside her for 20 years, but she decided to dig them all up today. Piper and Phoebe never thought of Prue as a person who would hold a grudge, but apparently there's a side to their sister they never knew she had. They wondered if she even knew she had it herself.

Piper was about to follow Prue, but a very confused Andy grabbed her arm in a solid attempt to stop her. "Don't…she needs some time alone to think this through. Prue is a good person and I know she'll come around."

"What if she doesn't?" shouted Phoebe from the pit of her stomach. "Prue is very stubborn, and once she sets her mind, there's no changing it."

Andy nodded his head in agreement. He then rubbed his tired face with his hands and headed towards his desk. Though his mind was occupied with thoughts of Prue, he knew he had to focus on Victor Bennett's case. "First things first. This is Mr. Bennett's file. I think we should focus on that now." Suggested Andy, as he stretched his arm to hand the file over to Piper, but it was Phoebe's hand that intersected and snatched the file.

"He's out on parole." Phoebe said, while eyeing Piper. "Andy explained it all out to me before you and Prue came barging in."

Piper was staring at Phoebe real hard, but her mind was elsewhere. She wasn't even thinking about Prue at that moment, or about her father. All she could think about was her mother, and what she would have done if she were to stand in her shoes. Though Piper loathed her father for the sins he had done in the past, she still wondered, what if? What if she accepted her father in her life again, and showed a little sympathy and forgiveness? What if her father really has become a better man? What if, for the first time in her life, she could actually enjoy having a father in her life? All these thoughts ran through Piper's head at that specific moment. She knew where Prue stands, and she knows Phoebe's opinion about this situation, but where does she stand in all this? She was the middle sister, and she was really in the middle this time.

Piper's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Phoebe's hands. Phoebe didn't realize how hard she was shaking Piper until Piper pushed her back. "Are you listening to me Piper? I need your help, I can't do this alone." Phoebe blurted out as she moved back and pleaded Piper with her eyes. Phoebe knew that Piper could be swayed either way, and she had to try her best to get her on her side. She also knew that Prue would do the same, and that's why she had to move quickly. "Piper, he's our father, we just can't let him live on the streets. Please, listen to what Andy has to say."

Piper stood still for a while, gave Andy and Phoebe a mysterious look, then announced her decision. "I know for a fact that I wouldn't mind him living on the streets."

"Piper…" Phoebe pleaded, but was interrupted before she could finish her sentence.

"Don't Piper me, Phoebe." Piper shouted angrily. "He didn't mind us growing up without parents, did he? He didn't care whether we lived or died. So why should we care where he lives. I want him to feel the pain we felt for 20 years, and it still wouldn't be enough for me to forgive him. You're on your own, Phoebe." Piper didn't even wait to hear Phoebe's reply. She knew that Phoebe would only make up more excuses for him, to gain her sympathy. All Piper did was head out the exit door, angrier than ever.

"It's going to be okay, Pheebs. You're not on your own, you still have me." Andy dried Phoebe's tears, and held her in his arms. He knew he was going to get in big trouble with Prue, but he still chose to take Phoebe's side. "I'll be right there with you when they release him tomorrow, I promise."

Phoebe tossed and turned in her bed that night. It felt as if it took eternity for the sun to shine once again. Phoebe was on her own, and yet she was still determined to let her father back in her life. She knew she had a bumpy road ahead of her, but she wasn't going to let that get in the way of having a real family.

'Prison always seems better than it actually is on television.' Phoebe thought to herself as Andy escorted her to the waiting room. "Just wait here. I'll take care of everything," Andy said before heading to the parole office. Phoebe's heart was racing, her palms were filled with sweat, and her eyes were getting ready to see Victor for the first time.

For a split second, time stopped for Phoebe. The once crowded room now felt empty, the only sound she heard was her heart's, and the only image she saw in front of her was that of a certain middle-aged man, that looked too familiar. Phoebe stood up slowly, and with a genuine smile on her face broke the room's silence. "Dad?"


	3. Chapter 3: Who are you?

Chapter 3: Who are you?

Phoebe could not believe her own eyes. She slowly and carefully started to approach Victor, as he held out his arms. She never planned on hugging the inmate when she took her first steps towards him, but she surprised herself, and Andy, by throwing her arms around his neck in a hug. She should have felt bad for having to do this without her sisters, but in that moment, with Victor in her arms, she just didn't care. "Welcome back, dad." Phoebe said with a smile.

Victor was a tall, pale, grey-haired man, with a relatively unshaved beard and a guilty look on his face. He didn't actually think he'd have one of his daughters pick him up, but he was thrilled and grateful for Phoebe's gesture. Before Victor could open his mouth, Andy interrupted by introducing Phoebe to Victor's parole officer. "Sorry to interrupt, but I want you to meet Paige Matthews, Mr. Bennett's parole officer."

"It's nice to meet you, Phoebe. Inspector Trudeau explained to me that Victor is going to stay with you, is that correct?" Asked Paige, while pointing at Andy.

Phoebe needed to take a deep breath before she could answer Paige's question. Unfortunately, her sisters still haven't agreed to take Victor in, but Phoebe insisted that the manor equally belonged to her as well, and she had all the right to take that decision. "Yes, that is correct. Dad will be staying with me and my sisters." Blurted Phoebe awkwardly.

"Until I can afford to have my own place, that is. Believe me Miss Matthews, I don't plan on living off of my little girls." Announced Victor with a sharp smile and confident tone. Phoebe's eyes widened in astonishment. The more she heard her father talk, the more she began to feel that she was doing the right thing. Victor was a changed man. He wanted to get a job, buy his own place, and live as a decent man. Phoebe knew that she won't regret giving him a second chance.

"Very well. Victor and I discussed his parole conditions, and it seems he's on the right track. I'll visit Victor once a week, unexpectedly, to monitor his behavior and check if he's abiding by his parole conditions." Announced Paige. Paige was an attractive young woman, in her early twenties. She always forced herself to separate work from personal life, but somehow Victor's case felt very personal. Although she only knew the guy for a week, she sympathized with him on a personal level, and she did not like that. "That's it; you're a free man, Victor." Announced Paige, while patting Victor's back.

Andy drove Phoebe and Victor home. He knew he was needed at the police station, but he just couldn't miss his fiancée's family reunion. Victor's heart was about to jump as he took his first steps up the stairs. He'd been dreaming about this moment for twenty years, imagining how perfect he wanted it to be. "I practically rehearsed this moment like a billion times ever since I found out I was going to be released. Forgive me, I'm a little nervous." Victor admitted as he approached the front door, with Phoebe on his right side, and Andy on his left.

"It's normal, Mr. Bennett. Don't worry; everything will go just as you imagined it." Andy's fake smile and untrue words may have fooled Victor, but Phoebe knew otherwise. How could she explain to her father that his other two daughters would rather see him dead than in this house? "Come on in, dad. I think you're going to like it here." Phoebe was lying through her teeth, but she wanted her father to feel welcomed, and saying the truth wouldn't accomplish this mission. "Piper, Prue, look who's here." Phoebe tried to hide her nervous tone and scared facial expressions, but she finally blew her cover as Piper approached them crying. "Prue's not here. She packed her things up and left the house. I hope you're happy, Victor." Piper's words left her mouth and stabbed Victor in the heart. He wasn't aware of the disaster he had created among his daughters, and he never would have allowed it if he had known the truth.

"What? Where did she go?" Andy asked with a nervous and worried tone.

Piper gave Victor a look of disgust then turned to Andy and said while struggling to wipe her tears with her hands, "I don't know. She wasn't exactly in the mood to share. All I know is that this is your fault…" she then turned to face Victor and continued, "Why did they let you out? Everything was fine before you came into the picture. They should have hanged you…" Piper was about to finish her sentence when a very angry and hurt Phoebe stopped her. "Piper, that's enough." Shouted Phoebe.

Piper knew how hurtful and insulting her words were, but she didn't care. All she wanted to do was hurt Victor's feelings until he decided to leave on his own. Growing up without a mother was very hard on Piper, but having her big sister, Prue, care for her comforted Piper. Now that Prue had left, Piper felt like she was losing her mother for the second time.

"Let me make one thing clear," said Piper while coldly eyeing Victor. "You are here because Phoebe wants you to be. Prue and I want nothing to do with you, and nothing would ever change that, not even your fake act of decency. I'm just hoping you have the least bit of self-respect to leave this house on your own."

Seconds later, Piper's image started to slowly become hazy for Victor, and though he kept watching her until she disappeared to the kitchen, all he saw were fuzzy images floating as the room started to spin. Victor knew from his blurred vision that he needed to lie down. The words Piper just said to him made him dizzy and made it difficult for him to breathe. Phoebe, angry as she is, helped Victor lie down on the living room sofa. She knew Piper would be upset with him, but she never thought she'd actually intend to hurt the man. "Dad, are you okay? I'm so sorry about what Piper said," said Phoebe.

Andy helped Victor loosen his upper shirt buttons, as he looked for Phoebe around the room. "Hurry up with the injection, will you?" Andy shouted to Phoebe who was still in the kitchen. "You're going to be okay, Mr. Bennett. Once the Insulin shot starts circulating your body, you'll feel much better," Andy assured a very scared Victor.

Phoebe ran towards her sick father, handed the Insulin injection to Andy, and watched as Andy saved her father's life. "I didn't know that he was diabetic. It's a good thing Prue left behind some Insulin shots in the kitchen," Phoebe said relieved. "Is he going to be okay, Andy?"

"He'll be fine. Let him get some sleep now; he's had a bad day," Said Andy apathetically. Both Andy and Phoebe left Victor asleep on the sofa, and walked to the front porch. They exchanged a silent look before they started to comprehend what happened five minutes ago. "I have to go find Prue. Will you be okay?" Asked Andy, as he put his hand on Phoebe's shoulder.

"To tell you the truth, I don't know. I just can't believe Prue and Piper could be this harsh and remorseless. I've never seen them like this. It's scary how much hate they have for dad," Replied Phoebe.

"I know. I'll talk to Prue. Look, don't worry, I'm on your side. Take care now." As much as Andy hated leaving Phoebe alone in that situation, he had an obligation to talk to his stubborn fiancée. For the first time, he didn't feel excited to see his future bride.

Piper knew exactly what had happened right after she had left the living room, but she just didn't know what to feel. She would have never stayed behind and watched a man gasp for air, but there's a first time for everything. She wanted to believe he has changed, she wanted to jump between his arms and call him 'Dad', but she couldn't. She was afraid she'd be betraying her mother if she had done so. She slowly walked towards the sofa and watched Victor sleep. He looked so innocent; almost a victim, but she couldn't trust him. 'What a strange feeling?' she thought to herself. "My own father is back and I can't even be happy about it. I can't forgive you; I can't be disloyal to mom's memory."

Though Victor couldn't hear what Piper had said to him, Phoebe did. Seconds ago, Phoebe couldn't understand Piper's cruelty towards their father, but after she heard what Piper said, what she was burying inside, she understood. "I had no idea you felt this way, Piper. Why didn't you tell me?" Phoebe said softly as she held Piper's shoulders from behind. Piper was unaware that Phoebe could hear her, and now that she did, she was actually relieved. Piper slowly turned to Phoebe, and hugged her while crying her heart out.

"I didn't know how mom would feel if I had forgiven him, Phoebe. I miss her so much, and every time I think that she's not with us because of him, I hate him even more," Said Piper while drying her tears. "I never thought I'd actually need to forgive him, not until I saw him lying on that sofa."

"Honey, you don't have to punish yourself for mom. She wouldn't want you to go through this pain, I know that for sure. You have to let go of the past, Piper."

"Doesn't that mean that we're forgetting mom?"

"We'll never forget mom, Piper. She'll always be in our heart, and in our love for each other. You don't have to hate dad to let mom know how much you love her."

"I don't know, Phoebe, I'm just very confused right now. I just need more time to trust him. I hope you can be okay with that."

"Of course I can. Just promise me that you'll try to make this work. I love you, Piper. Come here," Phoebe said, as she took her big sister in her arms, and kissed her forehead. "Everything's going to be okay, I promise."

Prue's office at Buckland's Auction House was just as organized and rigid as she was. Prue was particularly distracted that day that she couldn't think or work right. All she kept thinking about was having a criminal live in her house, eat her food, and enjoy the company of her sisters. Though she was angry at Piper, and furious with Phoebe, she still adored them both. They are her baby sisters, how could she just leave them in a house with a killer? Her thoughts were interrupted when Andy barged in shouting.

"What's gotten into you, Prue? I've been calling your cell for the past hour, why didn't you answer?" Andy said, while waving his hands in Prue's face angrily. "I was worried sick about you."

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear my cell ring, and I've been kind of distracted. I hope you don't mind, I dropped my things off at your place on my way here," Prue said nervously.

"Yeah, about that, what the hell were you thinking? I know you left the house, and I don't understand why," Andy explained. "Why didn't you tell me about this before you took this decision on your own? I thought we were partners, equals…I deserved to know."

"Look, Andy, I know that you think I screwed up, but out of all the people I expect you to understand me the most. You knew my situation with Victor, and you still backed Phoebe up. Now he's in my house, and my sisters are in danger."

"Why would they be in danger, Prue? He's their father, he's not going to hurt them…"

"Like he didn't hurt mom? God, Andy, Why are you so blind? The man has no heart, and I don't trust him at all. You have to get him out of the house, Andy. Piper and Phoebe are not safe with him."

Andy knew that no matter what he said, he wouldn't be able to convince Prue that Victor's intentions were pure. "Look, I have to get to the station, but we'll talk about this later. I'll see you at home," Andy said, then walked out of Prue's office and slammed the door on his way out. It wasn't seconds until the door was open again, but this time it wasn't Andy who walked into Prue's office.

Prue moved her attention from her lap top and focused it at the man standing in front of her. "Can I help you? Who are you?" She said, with wondering eyes, confused expressions, and dry lips.

The man slowly approached Prue's desk, placed himself in a chair, and rested his elbow on Prue's desk. With a mysterious smirk, piercing eyes, and confident tone, he said, "I'm the hero who's going to save you and your sisters from Victor Bennett."


	4. Chapter 4: Don't Cry Daddy

Chapter 4: Don't Cry Daddy

The manor was quieter than usual that afternoon. With a new guest occupying the living room sofa, Piper and Phoebe chose to move their conversation elsewhere. Though Phoebe's room was messy and crowded, the girls had always found comfort and serenity within its walls. "This was mom's room, you know," Said Piper. She was stretched on the bed next to Phoebe, and holding Phoebe's hand in hers.

"Really?" Replied Phoebe, "Now I understand why you wanted this room so much. I'm sorry I didn't switch rooms with you, Piper"

"I wish you realized that 15 years ago when you made me cry myself to sleep for a week," laughed Piper.

"Give me a break; I was 8 years old," Replied Phoebe, while laughing and hitting Piper with a pillow."

"Hey, watch it," laughed Piper back. "So, is he okay? I mean, what did Andy give him?"

"He's diabetic, Piper." Replied Phoebe.

"That explains it. Prue is gonna be thrilled to know where her diabetes comes from," said Piper, as she rested her head on Phoebe's left shoulder.

"One more reason to hate the poor old man, like she didn't have enough of those already," Phoebe said with a sigh.

Phoebe and Piper haven't shared a laugh since they found out about their father's release. After everything they've been through these couple of days, they both needed to have some fun quality sister time. The only thing that was missing on that bed was Prue.

Prue was still trying to comprehend the words that were coming out of Rodney's mouth. Her skeptical nature made her question Rodney's intentions. "What did you say your name was?" Asked Prue suspiciously.

"Rodney Stake, Rod for short." Replied Rodney with a cold laugh. "So are you ready to hear me out now, or do you need a urine sample?

"How did you find me? Who gave you my address?"

"It was easy to track you down dear. The famous Prue Halliwell, Buckland's best and brightest. I'm a big fan."

"Did Victor send you? Stay away from my sisters."

"I'm on your side, love. I know what a bad man Victor is, and I think we can work together to put him back behind bars before he hurts anyone."

"Where did you meet Victor, and how long have you known him?" Demanded Prue, while giving Rodney a cold look.

"Where do you think? I met him in Paris, under the bright full moon." Joked Rodney, and then broke down laughing.

"Don't waste my time. Answer the question."

"I met him in prison, love. We were cellmates for 20 years. I got released two months earlier, and after I knew they were releasing Victor, I just had to warn someone about him. This is a big mistake, love."

"Tell me about it. I just couldn't shake the feeling that he was hiding something. I want to know everything. Please, my sisters are in danger, and you're the only one who can help me save them."

"Long story short, Victor Bennett is a lying bastard who deserves to die. I won't let him hurt anyone else. He was always talking about a revenge he was planning, and I'm afraid he's already started it. I know he's your father and all, but he's a bad guy, and the sooner we put him back behind bars, the better."

"I have to call Phoebe and Piper and warn them…" Prue was about to call the manor, but Rodney quickly jumped over Prue's desk, snatched the cell phone from her hand, and hung up. "Are you crazy? What are you doing?" Shouted Prue, as she pushed Rodney off of her desk.

"I'm stopping you from sending your sisters to their grave. You can't tell anyone about our conversation," Replied Rodney.

"Why not? You just said that he was out to get his revenge, and he'll definitely start with Piper and Phoebe. I can't let him hurt them," Admitted Prue. She looked very worried about her sisters' fate, and she was willing to do anything to protect them.

"You have to be rational, Miss Halliwell. If you tell them what I just told you, you may risk their lives even more. You can't let him know that you're on to him, or he'll kill you before you get the chance to save your sisters," Said Rodney. His attempt to calm Prue down had succeeded, and now he had gotten her full attention and support. "We will send Victor back to Prison, I promise. But you have to promise you won't tell anyone about me, not even your fiancé."

"How did you know I was engaged?" Prue asked in confusion, then looked at her engagement ring. "Forget it, never mind. So, how can we prove that Victor is lying if I can't tell anyone about you?"

"Well, you can snoop around, and try to gather evidence to support your accusation. Better yet, you can frame him," Rodney replied with a wide smirk.

"So, you're suggesting I play nice until I can figure out how to send him back to his cell hole?"

"Exactly!" Rodney slowly sat back in his chair, raised his legs against Prue's desk, and finally laughed in victory.

"Well, it's gonna be hard like hell to even pretend that I like the guy. I guess that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make to save my sisters," Prue said persistently.

Victor Bennett woke up after a long nap that afternoon, and he had wished he hadn't. He could still hear Piper's words ring in his ears over and over again, and they hurt equally every time. Victor wanted to turn his life around and start from scratch, but something was holding him back. 'Too many secrets,' he thought to himself. How could a man, imprisoned for 20 years, prove to his daughters that he's worth their trust? Even if they started to trust him, they'd hate him after finding out the truth he'd been hiding for 20 years. Victor's thoughts were about to get the best of him, until Phoebe walked in with a cup of tea in her hand.

"How are you feeling now, dad?" Said Phoebe with a smile. She slowly sat next to him and handed him the cup of tea.

"I feel like I've been hit by a truck," Laughed Victor, as he took a sip of tea. "I might as well have been," Victor continued.

"Don't say that, dad. I'm glad you're here."

"That makes one of us. Why didn't you tell me that Prue and Piper didn't want me here?"

"How could I? I knew it would break your heart, and I couldn't do that to you, not after you everything you've been through in prison."

"Well, my heart broke anyway. I wish I had stayed locked up behind bars before I could hear Piper's words," Victor said, fighting back tears.

Phoebe held Victor's hand in hers, and begged him with her eyes to forgive her. If only she'd told him about Prue and Piper's decision, she would have at least saved him the pain of experiencing it. "I'm sorry, dad. I know I should have told you before, but I just…" Phoebe was interrupted by Victor's hand, reaching her cheek, and drying her tear.

"There's no need to feel sorry, honey. I should have known better. The letters I received for the past 5 years were from you alone, weren't they?"

"Yeah, I know it was signed from all of us, but I was the only one who sent them. Piper and Prue don't even know about them." Phoebe's face turned red, as guilt and shame started to surface as well. "Are you mad at me?"

"No, honey, I'm not mad. I actually appreciate your nice gesture; it's what kept me going for 5 years. At least I thought I had the support of all my daughters back then, and that somehow made me fight for my freedom. I just never expected that they'd have so much hate for me."

"I promise, things will get better. After you went to prison, Piper and Prue had it rough. It was very hard on them to survive the loss of both their parents, and take that role themselves with me. They'll come around; I know it in my heart."

Victor wrapped his arm around Phoebe's shoulder, kissed her forehead, and held her tight as she rested her head on his chest. "I hope so, honey, I truly hope so," Said Victor with a sigh. He couldn't stop thinking about the secret he'd buried all those years, and how his daughters would react if they ever found out about it. He knew he had to keep them from ever finding out, no matter what it takes. It would devastate them to know that everything they believed for the past 20 years was a lie.

"Victor is hiding something, I know it," Said Prue as she begged Andy to believe her. "You have to believe me, Andy, please. I have to protect my sisters from him, and I can't do that if I'm living across town."

Andy's apartment was the smallest and coziest one on the block. Despite its small area, and modest furniture, Andy adored it. He fought Prue's stubbornness to convince her to move in with him after the wedding, but he failed miserably. Prue refused to move out of the manor and leave her sisters alone before Victor even came into the picture, and now after he has, her mind, more than ever, was set on this plan.

"I thought you couldn't spend one minute in that house, knowing that Victor was under its roof. What changed now?" Asked a very confused Andy.

"What changed is that my theory of Victor being a manipulative lying threat in disguise was confirmed. He may have fooled you and Phoebe into believing his innocent masquerade, but I know better than that, and I'll prove it."

"Ah-huh! And how exactly did you confirm your theory? Did you read his mind and stumble upon his evil thoughts? Or, let me guess, you had a vision of the future…" Andy's mocking tone was interrupted by Prue's cold look.

"Laugh all you want, but I won't sit aside and watch Victor hurt my sisters. I'm moving back into the manor first thing in the morning. If he wants war, then he's gonna get it." Prue couldn't help but think about the conversation she had had with Rodney earlier, and she wished she could tell Andy and her sisters about it, but she knew she couldn't, not until she could gather solid evidence that would condemn Victor.

Mornings at the Halliwell manor were always occupied by Prue's early fresh morning coffee, and this morning wasn't any different. Prue had sneaked up into her room before anyone had woken up, and neatly placed herself in her kitchen, over her favorite coffee machine. She carefully reached for her delicious hot cup of coffee, slowly moved it all the way up to her lips in an attempt to take her first sip, but was suddenly startled by a voice she recognized and dreaded, a voice that has haunted her dreams ever since she was a little girl. "Prue?" Victor Said in amazement, as he stood behind her.

No one could imagine the weight of the situation that Prue was in that day, and no one did. Prue stood real still, above the shattered cup of coffee beneath her feet, before a mysterious and hated father, and over the kitchen counter where her hands froze. Victor could hear Prue's heavy breaths, and feel the hatred in her eyes, though he couldn't see them.

All Prue could feel in that moment was the same feeling she had experienced 20 years ago, fear. She suddenly heard her Grams voice scream inside her head, and with one angry cry Prue repeated Grams' words as she turned around to face Victor, "murderer!"


End file.
